Applications to RASI for the 2024 MAP Summer Student Program are now closed.

The MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions has partnered with the RASI program, which provides learners that face systemic barriers with research mentorship and research opportunities. For this year’s MAP 2024 Summer Student Program, please apply to the COS RASI (Community of Support Research Application Support Initiative) program as a RASI mentee for access to the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program. Please see the FAQ section at the bottom of this page.

**Please note that the deadline to apply for the RASI program is Friday, February 9th. Registration to the RASI program is mandatory, in order to gain access to research opportunities within the MAP Summer Student Program. Summer research opportunities will be accessible on February 19th, 2024 on the RASI portal** 

MAP is recruiting Black, Indigenous, and other undergraduate students of colour to join our team as summer students.

Summer students work with MAP scientists and staff on health equity research projects.

About the program

The MAP Summer Student Program is an opportunity to:

• Gain research skills, experience, and mentorship, to help prepare for graduate school or other career goals
• Access professional development resources available through MAP and St. Michael’s Hospital
• Participate in skill-building workshops related to professional development
• Connect with other undergraduate students who are interested in health equity research

Students are paid $18.86/hour, 37.5 hours per week. The program is 10 weeks long, starting June 17, 2024. 

Who should apply

Applicants must be:

• Interested in building research skills and exploring a career in research that aims to reduce health inequities
• Self-identified as a Black, Indigenous or other racialized person
• Currently enrolled in a university/college undergraduate program in Ontario, Canada, in the Fall 2024 following the Summer Program. Students enrolled in medical school or who will be starting in medical school in the Fall are not eligible for this program.
• Legally able to work in Canada
• Available to participate full-time (37.5 hours/week) for the full 10-week program (June 17- August 23, 2024)
• Able to work in or around the MAP offices in downtown Toronto, as needed.
• Please note that if you are selected to participate in this program, you will be required to submit proof of three COVID-19 vaccinations as per Unity Health Toronto Policy.

Application process

The application deadline to the RASI program is 11:59 pm EST on February 9, 2024. This is a requirement in order to gain access to the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program application once it goes live on February 19th, 2024.

The RASI application form is a quick, multiple choice questionnaire that will help RASI and MAP garner a better understanding of your background and interests for the MAP program and RASI mentorship opportunity. This questionnaire should take between 15  minutes or less to complete. 

Once you have submitted the RASI application, you will join the RASI network of mentorship and summer research opportunities, one being the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program, once you have been screened and your application has been accepted by RASI.

On Monday, February 19th, the profiles and research project descriptions of the MAP PIs (Principal Investigators) recruiting students for the MAP Summer Student Program will be made available on the RASI Summer Research Access Portal. As a RASI mentee, you will be able to apply to the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program by applying to work with a MAP PI and choosing one of their projects. You will be able to apply to up to three MAP PI projects you would love to work with between February 19th – March 1st, 2024. 

A research team member from MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions will reach out to you through the RASI portal if you have been selected by a MAP PI for an interview. Interviews  conducted by the PI’s research team and a member or volunteer from the MAP Anti-Racism Equity Advisory will be panelists at the interviews.  Interviews will run between March 4th – March 15th, 2024. 

PIs will send out offers between March 18th – March 22nd, 2024 and students must make decisions on offers between March 25th – March 30th, 2024. Please note that the RASI portal will only allow students to accept up to one summer research opportunity, so please choose wisely!

Dates	Tasks
February 9, 2024	RASI Summer Research Access Portal application deadline
February 19 – March 1, 2024	Students apply to summer research positions
March 4 – 15, 2024	PIs interview students
March 18 – 22, 2024	PIs send offers
March 25 – 30, 2024	Student accept offers
June 17 – August 23, 2024	MAP 2024 Summer Student Program

We hope to make this application process as simple as possible. As a reminder, due to our new partnership with RASI, the entire application will be done through the RASI portal – a one-stop shop. Should you have any questions regarding the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program, please send an e-mail to : denese.frans-joseph@unityhealth.to

The program starts on June 17, 2024.

FAQs

• Can we apply to the MAP 2024 Summer Student Research Program directly, without applying through RASI?
  • Given our partnership with RASI, the only way to apply for the MAP 2024 Summer Research Program is by applying through the RASI portal. We have decided to partner with RASI as their research initiative aligns with our MAP values – bringing health equity research opportunities to marginalized students who often have limited access to research opportunities. The RASI program also offers a seamless method to apply to research opportunities at MAP, with the added benefit of gaining access to mentorship opportunities and workshops.
• How long will it take to apply for access to the RASI portal?
  • The application form should take around 15 minutes.
• What is a RASI mentee?
  • RASI mentees are students who have successfully applied to gain access to the COS RASI initiative and RASI Summer Research Access Portal.
• The RASI application questionnaire asks for my cumulative GPA. Should I be concerned?
  • Both MAP and RASI prioritize providing summer research opportunities to those with little to no research experience. We fully recognize barriers to research opportunities and barriers in education many students of colour experience first hand.  Additionally, the MAP Summer Student Program highly values the lived experiences of students and the transferable skills they can bring to research opportunities. 
• What happens if I don’t apply by February 9th, 2024?
  • Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to apply for the MAP 2024 Summer Student Program. There will be no extensions granted to apply for the RASI and MAP programs.
• What are the health equity research programs available to select from this year?
  • The participating Principal Investigators and their respective research projects available will be made visible on the RASI portal on Monday, February 19th, 2024. You may visit the Our Scientists page MAP website for a current list of scientists and their research project to garner a sense of the types of health equity projects our centre prioritizes.
• I have accessibility needs. Do you consider the accessibility needs of students and offer accommodations for the application process and throughout the program? Is the portal disability-inclusive?
  • Accessibility is considered as part of the selection process as a demographic group for RASI. It can inform some of the mentor matches made and the content developed. The portal has minimal color contrast, simple copywriting and easy navigation.